


Afterlife

by POTFFAN



Series: Reaching for You [2]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Din Djarin, Poison, Protective Baby Yoda, Sickfic, mandalorian whump!, mentions of Omera, protective Din
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22429333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/POTFFAN/pseuds/POTFFAN
Summary: Two weeks after their departure from Sargon, the Mandalorian finds himself a single parent, on the run, haunted by the ones he left behind and rapidly running out of time.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)
Series: Reaching for You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612027
Comments: 60
Kudos: 114





	1. The Negotiation

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to thank all the readers who enjoyed the first fic in this series "Into the Light". I hope this one is just as enjoyable. Caution: contains feels and whump abound! Enjoy!

Din sighed as he brought the ship down on Tatooine. He hated this planet. It was hot during the day, freezing at night, sand everywhere, and not a single creature on this planet could be trusted. He sighed and buried his head in his hands. There was a gentle tug on his pant leg and he looked down to see the Child looking at him with concern in his eyes. Din picked him up and set him on his leg.

“I’m sorry, Little One. I just haven’t slept much since we left, that’s all,” he explained to the Kid. He didn’t know how much the little creature understood, but he seemed to be listening intently. “Now, we need supplies, but this is going to require some negotiation. Everyone here likes to barter, so I’m going to leave you here, ok? They’ll want you for an appetizer. So stay here.”

The Child cooed and Din took that as a yes. He tucked the kid away in the little compartment he’d set up for him and left the ship. This would just be a quick in and out, no reason to make it complicated.

Within an hour he’d hiked from the _Razorcrest_ to the little metropolis where his supplier was located. A couple of grizzly townspeople leered at him as he walked past but he ignored them. He kept his blaster at the ready, just in case. He arrived at a door and knocked. A robotic eye extended from a little hole in the wall. It examined him.

“I’m here to see Chelch Devin,” Din said. “Tell him it’s Din Djarin.”

The eye disappeared and there was the sound of footsteps approaching the door, which flew open. A grizzled, bearded man answered with a grin. “Well! If it isn’t Din Djarin! Come in, my friend,” he said loudly as he clapped Din on the back and ushered him deep into his foul-smelling, dimly lit home. Din by no means saw this man as a friend but he could get supplies cheap here, and that was an important factor given that he had next to no money.

“What brings you all the way out here? Last time I heard, you were working with the Guild on Navarro,” Devin asked as he brought Din into a darkened room. Din became instantly alert as he realized there were other men there. “Sorry about the crowed. You came right in the middle of a family meeting,” Devin added, sensing the Mandalorian’s apprehension.

“Just need some supplies and I know you have the cheapest prices on this system,” Din said gruffly, doing a quick scan of the room. There were four men in addition to Devin. He could easily handle himself if need be.

“Ah! So nice to know that my reputation precedes me,” Devin exclaimed. “I have some things here, but unfortunately, I’m not in that line of work anymore. Turns out, I’ve found the bounty hunter business to be much more lucrative.

Din’s senses were on high alert and he checked to see if the men in the room had moved. He needed to move carefully and not start anything before it was time. “What?” he asked in almost disbelief. Perhaps he’d heard wrong.

“Come now, Din. You’re a smart man. You didn’t think the entire galaxy wouldn’t know about you and what you’ve done,” Devin sneered as he faced Din head-on. “But you’re an old friend, and you’ve done well by me many times so I’ll cut you a deal. You walk free, we just want the kid.”

Din stiffened. “I’m sorry, I can’t let you do that. The Kid stays with me.”

“Well, looks like I’m gonna have to bring you both in cold,” Devin scoffed as his men started to close in.

Din didn’t wait another second before jumping into action. Quicker than anyone could blink he pulled his blaster at one man, hitting him in the chest before ducking to avoid the fire of another blaster. One man tried to punch him in the kidney, but Din turned quickly so that he punched his bheskar chest plate instead. The man cried out and clutched his hand, and Din grabbed his arm and twisted it until he heard a sickening crack. The man screamed and the Mandalorian swung him around, slamming him into one of Devin’s other men. He heard the sound of a dagger being drawn and he turned just in time to see Devin lunge at him with a long, skinny dagger. The edge of the blade caught him on the arm just above where his bracer ended. There was a tiny flare-up of pain, but compared to other injuries he’d sustained in the past, it was hardly noticeable. Din grabbed Devin by the shoulders and head-butted him, knocking him out before he tossed him to the side. The hunter surveyed his work. The man with the broken arm tried to get up and take aim at him, but Din killed him with a swift shot to the head. Devin and his men laid on the ground either unconscious or dead. They shouldn’t have picked a fight with a Mandalorian.

Holstering his blaster, Din pushed a button on the far wall and a door opened. Inside was food, some med supplies, a tool chest, and a blanket. He gathered all of it, tossed some currency onto the table, and left the carnage behind. Within an hour he was back at the _Razorcrest_. The first thing he did upon entering the ship was to go to the little compartment where the kid was supposed to be. To his immense relief, he was napping peacefully in his little bed. Din had been worried the entire trip back that someone else had heard of their arrival and had raided the ship. Now that he knew all was safe and well, he stored the newly acquired provisions away in their proper place in the ship. It was then that he was reminded of the shallow cut on his arm from Devin’s dagger. Upon inspection, he found that it was only minor and definitely not life-threatening. He slapped a bacta patch on it before making his way to the cockpit. He was relieved to be leaving this god-forsaken place without it ending in complete disaster.

Soon, the ship was leaving the atmosphere and drifting quietly through space. Din was trying to decide which system they could go to next. Clearly, even remote systems like Tatooine and Sargon weren’t safe, so he would have to pick something that wasn’t populated at all. Perhaps Endor. He was entering the coordinates into the ship when suddenly he was seized with a bout of nausea so strong he had to sit back in order to get his head to stop spinning so violently. He tried to take deep breaths but it was getting stronger.

“When did it become so hot in here?” he thought as he tried to pull the cowl away from his neck in order to let a little ventilation into his armor and under his helmet. It felt like he was boiling alive. The sick feeling in his stomach was getting worse. He knew he had some electrolyte drink in the medkit he kept on board for emergencies such as this and he needed to get to it fast to avoid getting sick all over the cockpit. He stood and wobbled on his feet. The room swirled violently and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Just one step at a time,” he told himself and he eased his way to the ladder. Carefully, he lowered himself down the first rung, and then the next, and then the next. The climb down was the equivalent to scaling down the sheer side of a cliff in his physical state but soon his feet were on solid ground again. Only this time the nausea doubled in intensity. He had to get this helmet off or he was going to get sick in it which would be none too pleasant. He stumbled a few more steps into the tiny bathroom, practically threw the helmet off and doubled over the sink. He groaned in pain as he continued to retch long after his stomach was empty. At last, his shaking legs gave out and he slid down to the floor, resting his head against the cool wall. Everything hurt and he felt a bit too warm. Perhaps the nearly two weeks of no sleep was finally catching up to him. He heard a small chirp at his elbow and saw the Child peeking up at him, his little face full of worry and confusion.

“I’m alright, Kid. I’m-I’m alright,” Din reassured weakly.


	2. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A local couple discovers a ship in distress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I couldn't wait to post another chapter! Thank you so much for the support so far! I'm so excited and motivated to work on this series! Anyways, enjoy!

Din opened his eyes. When the hell did he fall asleep? He didn’t even remember closing his eyes. Everything was spinning and there was a sickening pain in his stomach. Oh, that’s right. He was going to get some electrolytes into him. Shakily, he pulled himself up, using the sink as leverage. He stumbled a bit, gagged, but somehow remained on his feet. A clattering sound echoed through the ship and he shuffled out of the bathroom to find food containers scattered everywhere and the door to a wall locker was swung open. He pulled back the door and found the Kid munching happily on some food he’d found. Din sighed.

“Well, I suppose that’s my fault. Sorry, Kid,” Din muttered as he reached into the locker, opened the medkit, and retrieved the electrolyte solution. Popping the top off, he drained it, hoping it would settle his stomach. It did not. He found himself racing to the bathroom and getting sick again. When he finished he once again sunk to the floor. Each bout of vomiting was completely draining him of energy. He pulled himself out of the bathroom and propped himself up against the wall just below the ladder. The kid, now full and content, wandered back to him and snuggled close to his side. He had to land them somewhere or they would run out of fuel. They couldn’t just drift aimlessly through space.

“Alright, Kid. Don’t worry, I’m going to get us somewhere and then sleep this off,” he reassured, more his sake then the kid’s. He spotted his helmet laying haphazardly on the ground where he’d thrown it. Reaching over, he grabbed it and put it back on. “Alright, just a few rungs to climb. It’s no big deal,” he said as he pulled himself up. Suddenly a searing pain seized his right arm, from the tips of his fingers to his shoulder. He tried to power through it but now it was starting to spread up his neck and chest. He cried out and fell to his knees, clutching his arm tightly against him. The sickness was returning and his vision was graying before going black as he collapsed.

********

“Well that had to have been the most boring convention I’ve ever attended, Sei,” the middle-aged woman said to her husband, who was piloting their rather large cruiser back towards the home planet.

“I agree, Sala and they didn’t even have any decent farm equipment for sale this time. We drove this hunk of junk for nothing,” her husband agreed.

Sala sighed. “I know we agreed on keeping ourselves busy in a nice quiet life was a good idea but mining has to be the most boring occupation ever.”

“I know, honey, but it’s for the best,” Sei said comfortingly as he reached for his wife’s hand and clasped it lovingly. She squeezed his hand back when suddenly, something in the distance caught her eye. It wasn’t a star; it looked too metallic and manmade.

“Sei, look over there,” she said as she gestured to the object. “What is that?’

“I don’t know. Let’s find out.” He guided their ship in the direction of the strange UFO. As they grew closer, it became clearer.

“It’s a ship!” Sei exclaimed.

“What’s it doing just floating all the way out here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Should we check it out? What if whoever is on it needs our help?”

“What if it’s space pirates?” Sala shot her husband a warning look. “Alright, alright. We’ll go check it out.”

He flipped on the tractor beam and the unknown ship started to inch closer to them. Sei maneuvered the ship so it was hovering above the other. Slowly, the abandoned ship was being pulled so that it was flushed with a pressurized compartment that extended from underneath Sei and Sala’s ship. There was a clank as it was locked into place. The husband and wife climbed down a ladder from the cockpit into the brig of their craft, and then down a subsequent ladder into the pressurized compartment, where they located the emergency entrance to the ship below. Sei holstered his blaster and Sala rolled her eyes.

“Is that really necessary?” She asked as he started to climb into the other ship.

“Well, I want to protect you, don’t I? So yes, it is,” he affirmed before climbing down into the cockpit. Immediately he was hit with the premonition that something was very wrong. “Hello? Is anyone here?” he called. There was a soft cry that could be heard from the depths of the ship. It almost sounded like-

“Honey? What’s down there?” Sala called.

“I don’t know. It sounds like a baby. Give me a minute,” he replied as he made his way to the ladder. He peered down and gasped as he saw a pair of legs sprawled out below. The body they were connected to was just out of eyesight. “Honey! There’s someone down here!” he called as he scrambled down the ladder.

He tried to assess the sight of the armor-clad figure lying prone on the floor and a strange green creature with big ears pressed up close to his helmeted head crying softly. The baby stopped crying and looked up at him hopefully. Sei held out his hands so it could see he was unarmed.

“It’s alright, I’m not gonna hurt ya. I’m gonna make sure your daddy’s ok,” Sei soothed as he knelt beside the man lying on the ground. Carefully he pushed him onto his side and pressed his fingers against his neck. Relief washed over him as he found the man’s rapid and fluttery pulse. “Ok, so not dead. That’s a good sign,” he said out loud so the Child could here him. “Now let’s just find out what’s wrong with you.” He reached for the silver helmet when suddenly a strong hand grabbed his wrist and shoved him against the wall. Sei tried to grab his blaster out of his holster but the man knocked it from his hand and it went clattering to the floor. Sei found himself pinned against the wall with the man’s bracer covered forearm pressed against his neck.

“Wh-who are you?!” The man demanded. Sei could detect a slight tremor in the man’s voice.

“P-Please! Please I-I…” Sei stammered. He was so scared he couldn’t even get the words out.   
“Tell-tell me who you are!” the man demanded. Sei could feel an immense heat rolling off his attacker and now picked up a slight rasp in his breathing.

“You have two seconds to step away from my husband before I blast a hole in your head.”

Both Sei and the armored man turned to see Sala pointed her husband’s fallen blaster at the stranger.

“Wait, honey! Hang on! It’s alright. He’s sick. I shouldn’t have approached him like that.” He turned his attention back to the man in the helmet. “It’s alright. We’re here to help you. We heard your son crying. We’ll take care of him too.”

Din stared at the man he was pinning against the wall, thankful that he couldn’t see through the visor. He seemed earnest. He also didn’t seem to know who either he or the kid was. Maybe he could trust these people. His body didn’t give him the chance to weigh the options further, for he was hit with another painful dizzy spell and he stumbled back.

“Whoa there, easy son,” Sei said as he quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and eased him to the floor to avoid further injury and possibly alleviate the dizziness. “You’re burning up. What happened?” Sala lowered the blaster and kneeled on the other side of the man, certain that there was no danger.

“J-Just sleep-deprived,” Din croaked weakly. The pain was flaring up in his arm again and he was trying very hard not to give any indication that he was in pain.

“I think this is a little more than sleep deprivation,” Sala speculated as she felt the man’s pulse with her own fingers. “You’re pretty sick. Come, we’ll take you home and you’ll be good as new.”

“Wh-what about the kid?” Din rasped as Sei helped him to his feet. The little green baby in question was peeking out at the group fearfully from behind a locker.

“He can come too. We’ll look after both of you,” Sala reassured as she walked over to the child and gently picked him up. “It’s alright now, Little One. You’re in good hands.”

Din took two steps and the pain his arm flared in his chest and now his stomach. It felt like his skin was on fire. He grunted and stumbled against Sei. He was trying so hard to hold it back as his fists clenched. His knees buckled.

“Whoa there! Hey, you alright?” Sei asked with concern in his voice. Din couldn’t answer as a soft cry escaped his lips, he doubled over as the pain intensified. Sweat was pouring off of him. “Sala, we need to get him home, now!” Sei said seriously as Din blacked out again, swallowed by the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank's for reading! Tune in for the next chapter soon! As always, rate and review!!!!!!


	3. Six Feet From the Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sei and Sala bring the Mandalorian back to their home and some startling revelations are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loving the feedback guys! I basically have this story written I'm just adding and editing here and there, hence the incredible speed in which I'm getting these chapters up. This chapter was fun to write and I found myself listening to "One Last Breath" by Creed. I think that the official song of this fic. Anyways enjoy!

Sei guided his ship carefully towards their homeworld of Batuu, which was looming into view. His mind had been occupied the entire trip by the man and the child they had discovered. He wondered what would have happened if they hadn’t come along when they did. Sala was piloting the other ship with the baby on her lap, trailing close behind. Din was laid out flat in the bunk Sei and Sala presumed was his, twitching and murmuring feverishly.

“Din? Din, can you hear me?” Her voice caused him to open his eyes a sliver. “Din, wake up!”

He opened his eyes a little more and turned to see Omera standing next to him. She smiled and gently touched the side of his helmet. He wished he didn’t have it on so he could feel her.

“Y-you’re here,” he said softly. “God, how I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Din. You just left. How long do you really think I’ll wait for you?” she tutted as she stood. He reached out and grasped her hand.

“No, wait! Please, I’m coming!” Din insisted. He had to get up and go to her. He had to make her see that he was going to come back for her.

“I’m sorry, Din. I couldn’t wait any longer. You weren’t coming back,” she said as she started to make her way up the ladder. She seemingly disappeared right before his eyes.

“Wait!” he sat up and was immediately seized with a bout of nausea so awful he had just enough time to grab an empty container the child had left on the floor and lift his helmet up before retching violently. There was nothing left in him, just bile. His whole body heaved painfully several times before he was done and curled up on his side, squeezing his eyes shut. His arm was throbbing constantly now instead of the occasional wave of intense pain and every muscle felt strained and tense.

********

Sala could hear the man’s pain and sickness and worry creased her brow.

“Sei, honey we need to hurry. It’s not good over here,” Sala said over the radio.

“We should be landing in about fifteen minutes, darling,” Sei reassured as he guided the ship low to the ground. Within a few minutes, they came up to their little home that was situated on a vast plain in the shadow of some distant mountains. Sei set the ship to land a little ways from their home and as he powered the ship down he saw Sala follow his example and set the ship down. He climbed out and ran over to the ship. He saw the name  _ Razorcrest _ , printed across the side. A ramp was lowered and Sala walked out with the Child in her arms.

“He’s inside. I think he was awake for a while but he’s out cold again,” she reported as her husband made his way up the ramp.

“Good, because he’s not really going to enjoy this next part,” Sei said as he entered the ship. Sala was right. Din was hanging half-off the bunk, motionless. Carefully, Sei pulled him to his feet and slung his armored arm around his neck before carefully supporting the unconscious man’s dead weight and pulling him out of the ship. He half dragged half carried Din into their home and laid him flat on their bed. Sei sighed as he dabbed the sweat breaking out on his forehead from the exertion. Sala set the child beside him.

“Come on, let’s get to work.

********

Din’s eyes opened slowly. He glanced around, trying to discern his surroundings. Slowly, feeling was coming back into his limbs. He realized he was no longer wearing his armor except his helmet, and he was stripped down to just his black pants. He felt something cold running through his left arm and tried to feel for what it was.

“Don’t!” a voice said softly but sternly. There were soft footsteps and then a woman loomed into view. She gently moved his hand away from the IV that was delivering fluids to his desperately dehydrated body. “You need to leave that in. You were pretty dehydrated.”

“Where, a-am I?” he hated how weak his voice sounded.

“Batuu. I hope we weren’t taking you too far out of the way but there was no way you were going to make it to wherever the hell you were trying to get to in your state.”

“Wh-where’s the k-kid?” Sala nodded towards the bed and Din looked over and saw the sleeping bundle tucked in beside him, sleeping soundly. He finally relaxed into the pillows, knowing everything was ok.

“He was pretty attached to you. He wouldn’t leave your side. He wouldn’t let us take your helmet off either. I’ve never seen such a strong attachment before. I’m sure he’s a handful.”

“He is,” Din said with something that was a ghost of a chuckle.

“I’m sure that’s why you haven’t slept.”

Din thought back to about a week ago. They had been hunkered down for the night on Kamino due to poor weather. Nightmares and memories were keeping Din up; the horrible storm was keeping the Child up. In the end, Din had let the little creature curl up against his chest, safe and warm in his arms. They spent every night like that since.

“We never had children,” Sala said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “It was too hard when we were enslaved by the empire and after we got out, well we thought we were just too old by then.” There was a touch of sadness in her voice.

Din heard a door open from beyond the closed door of the bedroom.

“Honey! Come give me a hand with this thing!” Sei called.

“Just sit tight. We got something for him while you’re recovering here,” Sala said as she got up and left the room to help her husband carry in a small wooden crib into the room.

“There, now that’ll do just perfect for him,” Sei said with pride.

“Thank you,” Din rasped.

“Ah! You’re awake. It’s hard to tell under that helmet of yours,” Sei said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

“You should probably take it off, dear. It’ll make it a little easier to treat you and it’ll probably help the fever,” Sala piped in.

Din shook his head but regretted it as it triggered the nausea again. “No,” he ground out. “I’m a Mandalorian. I don’t take the helmet off.”

“I thought your armor looked familiar. I remember reading stories about your kind when I was a boy,” Sei said as if he was recalling those fond memories. “Are the Mandalorians as legendary as they say?”

Din was saddened by this question. He didn’t even know what became of the rest of the enclave after he rescued the Child from the Imperials.

“Honey, you’re pestering him. He needs to rest,” Sala scolded gently, sensing Din’s discomfort with the subject.

“Of course, you’re right. I’m sorry,” Sei said abashedly as he stood hastily.

“It’s not-not your fault,” Din reassured. It really wasn’t. What happened with the enclave, and in fact, every Mandalorian was a tragedy that was buried long in the past.

He shifted a little when the pain in his arm returned in a wave once more, stronger and more intense than the first. It caught him so suddenly that he cried out and gripped his arm, breathing hard as it spread further throughout his body than before.

“Son? Hey, what’s wrong?” Sei said and he was at Din’s side almost immediately.

“M-my arm!” Din choked out. Sala scooped the baby up and out of the way so that Sei could gently inspect Din’s arm. He noticed an old bacta patch slapped on to the upper part of his bicep and wondered if maybe the wound underneath had gotten infected. It would certainly account for how sick the Mandalorian was. Carefully he peeled it off and gasped. There was a tiny slice, no wider than a hair and just barely visible to the human eye, but spreading out from the cut was a network of purplish veins. They seemed to be spreading right before Sei’s eyes.

“He’s been poisoned.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more! As always, rate and review!


	4. Poison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sei and Sala search for a cure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe all the amazing support! It's really kept me motivated to post the chapters I've written. It'll be a bit before I get the next chapter up as it hasn't been written yet so keep the encouragements coming! They fuel my writing. :)

“Are you sure honey?” Sala asked, still caught off guard by his diagnosis. Din groaned as he pulled his arm back toward his burning body.

“Yes. But the problem is, it could be anything. There are millions out there and I don’t even know where to begin,” Sei said worriedly as he felt Din’s thready pulse and felt the heat radiating off his body.

“Tatooine,” they heard Din rasp hoarsely.

“What was that, Son?” Sei asked as he leaned in close.

“G-got cut on Tatooine. I-I think the knife was laced,” Din groaned as he tried to get the pain under control.

“That still doesn’t help us. We don’t even know what was on it,” Sei sighed.

“Well,” Sala paused as if she was afraid to say what she was thinking. “We could, you know, break out the old stuff.”

“No! Honey, we promised we would never do that again. We promised we would never touch it after we escaped,” Sei exclaimed.

“We promised we wouldn’t do it for the Empire anymore. But this is different. He will die if we don’t help. And the only way I know how to help is by doing this,” Sala insisted. “This is our chance to make up for what we did.”

Sei looked at Din, and then into the earnest eyes of his wife. His whole life, he felt like he’d let her down, dragging her into sadness or danger. He could see how important this was to her. Maybe taking care of this boy who clearly needed their help and was in way over his head would fill the void in her heart where children should have been. He sighed.

“Alright. We’ll do it. Let me go get some stuff to get started,” Sei said as he left the room. Sala grinned before sitting on the side of the bed in an effort to soothe the sick man in the bed.

“When the Empire rose to power, Sei and I were scientists. We were captured by the Imperials and forced to work for the Empire. We dabbled primarily in bio-chemical warfare, but it was awful and we are not proud of what we did. We vowed to never do those things again. But we’re going to help you. We can figure out what the poison is and find a cure.”

“Th-thank you,” Din said tiredly. He felt so drained. Everything was difficult, including breathing. Sei returned with a syringe in his hand.

“Gotta take some blood, Son. We gotta figure out what this is,” Sei said as he readied the syringe.

Din nodded and offered his arm. Sei barely pushed the needle into his skin when the nerves around the wound lit up with what felt like pure electricity. Din’s back arched off the bed as a scream of agony tore from his lips.

“Hold him down!” Sei cried as he pulled the syringe back until his wife had a good grip on the writhing man before he pushed the needle all the way. Din screamed as his body wracked with unimaginable pain. He was going to die right then and there. Sei filled the vial with blood and pulled it out just as the Mandalorian passed out, harsh ragged breaths echoing in his helmet’s modulator. The baby cried and reached in Din’s direction. He was clearly distressed by his father’s condition.

“He’ll be out for a bit. That’ll give me a chance to set up the old equipment,” Sei said, looking worriedly at Din before leaving the room.

Sala quickly picked the crying baby up out of the cradle and held him close. “Shhhhh, it’s alright, Little One. He’s going to be ok. I’ve got you. I promise you’ll always be loved and looked after,” she murmured softly.

The baby stopped crying and seemed to sense that he was being held by someone safe. He chirped approvingly and reached out to touch her face. Sala’s heart ached. All she’d ever wanted was children, and now, the universe had brought two for her to care for.

“Now, let’s get you fed. I’m sure you’re starving,” she said as she carried him out of the room.

********

Din opened his eyes. He looked around and realized he was back in the village on Sargon. He sat up and immediately spotted Omera.

“Omera!” he called as he ran to her. He pulled off his helmet and threw it on the ground before pulling her into his arms. “I told you I’d come back for you.” 

“Oh Din! You came back!” she cried before kissing him deeply. He kissed her back and finally he was at peace. This was all he’d wanted for weeks.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion somewhere in the village. Screams of villagers echoed as droids marched into the village.

“What’s going on?” Din called as he clutched her close to him. Suddenly a giant fist grabbed him around the torso and tore him from her. He came to face with Donaroy who grinned evilly at him.

“You ready to come join me, Mandalorian?” he jeered before he started to squeeze Din in his hand. Din gasped and fought for air.

********

Sala was deeply concerned with the desperate gasping noises Din was making. She couldn’t assess his status with the helmet covering his head. She knew he said he couldn’t take it off, but surely that was put aside in life or death situations. She remembered how the Child had intervened very strongly when they had tried to remove his helmet the first time. Even now, the little green alien was staring at her with his large eyes. She squatted in front of him and looked at him intently.

“I need to take his helmet off, ok? He’s not doing so good and I can’t make him better if I don’t. So please, let me take it off.” She wasn’t sure how much the little fella could understand, but she hoped she’d gotten her point across.

She sat on the bed, moving slowly as she curled her fingers under the helmet and gently eased it off. She was very much taken aback by his appearance. His voice sounded so gruff and old under the guise of the helmet. What she saw was the pained face of a boy who had to grow up way too soon. Even the years of hard living, as implied by the multiple scars littering his body, could not remove the traces of child-like fear etched into his features. She brushed some of his dark wavy hair that was plastered to his forehead back. He was burning up, but his breathing had eased a little now that it was unobstructed by his helmet. She checked his IV once more before sitting down to watch him.

It was several hours later when Sei came up for a break. He’d been hunched over a workbench for hours. He came into the bedroom to find his wife sitting beside the bed, trying to soothe a restless Mandalorian who now sported no helmet.

“How did you manage to get him to take it off?” he asked as he hugged her for comfort.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s not doing well. Please tell me you’re close.”

“I have some leads but it could be another couple of hours. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Sei said tiredly as he rubbed his eyes. There was a groan from the bed and the couple turned to see Din’s eyes flutter open.

“Hey, shhh it’s alright. Just lay still,” Sala encouraged. Din knew instinctively that his helmet was off. He must really be dying then. He certainly felt like it.

“Th-the kid,” he rasped as he tried to look for the little guy.

“It’s alright. He’s just fine,” Sala soothed as she brushed his hair back. She noticed his breathing was getting quicker and more labored. “Hey, you’ve got to relax, yeah? Just breathe and calm down.”

The pain was hitting Din and he tried so hard to contain it and breathe through it. He didn’t want to scare the kid again. He felt a hand grab his and he squeezed it tightly.

“Son, you’ve got to relax. It’s ok. You can just let go,” Sei pleaded as he felt how tight Din’s grip was.

He wanted to, he really did, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to feel the pain anymore. Just a few minutes and it would pass.

“Come on, just relax. You’ve got to breathe, Son. Come on!” Sei pleaded over and over. The darkness overtook Din so fast he didn’t have time to fight it. Except Din didn’t pass out. His body started convulsing as seizures racked him violently.

“Oh my gosh! Hold him down!” Sala cried and Sei used all his strength to hold down the flailing man. Sala begged over and over for it to end.

They finally did. Din’s body spasmed a few more times before going still. Sei sighed and checked his pulse, sighing with relief when he found one. He looked at his wife who had fear in her eyes.

“We need to find an antidote now,” she said and he nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Don't worry, I'm almost done torturing our little cinnamon roll ;) As always, rate and review! Would love some fanart for this series one day by my sketching skills are rubbish.


	5. The Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cure is found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so overwhelmed with gratitude. You guys have been so incredible in supporting this fic. I was starting to feel a bit self-conscious about it but the never-ending comments and feedback has really given me confidence. Sadly, this story is ending in the next chapter, but never fear because part three of Reaching for You is already in the works! Enjoy and as always, rate and review!

“Honey! Come here!” Sei called from the kitchen. Sala glanced at the Mandalorian, who was sleeping fitfully. He’d been like that for hours, never waking up from his seizures earlier. He’d be ok by himself for a few minutes. Sala left the door open so she could hear if there was any problem and walked over to the workbench her husband was working at.

“I figured it out, at least I’m pretty sure. It’s a very deadly poison that was developed back almost two centuries ago. It’s difficult to obtain and even more difficult to create. How some Outer Rim ruffian got a hold of it, I’ll never know.”

“This would be incredibly fascinating if it wasn’t currently pumping through that young man and killing him,” Sala replied as she mused over her husband’s findings. “So how do we stop it?”

“That’s the one hitch in all this. There is a known antidote, but I would have to go get some things to make it, and it only has about a 50% success rate.”

Sala looked up from the data at her husband disbelievingly. “You’re kidding me. You mean we could end up killing him faster rather save him?” Honey…”

“It’s not me. I’m just going off the research.”

********

In the bedroom, Din’s eyes flew open. The nausea was rocking through him violently. He sat up, grabbed a bin that Sala had left for him, and threw up. This time, he brought up blood; lots of blood.

********

“There isn’t any other way?” Sala asked.

“There’s not, and the longer we wait the smaller chance he has of surviving this.”

********

Din retched again and more blood came up. There was an alarming amount in the bin now as he set it aside with shaking hands. Every muscle in his body was tensed so tightly he felt he would break. He heard a little chirp and turned to see the kid who had somehow climbed out of the crib and was at his side. He raised his little hand in Din’s direction and the hunter knew what was about to happen. He reached out and gently took the little three-fingered hand in his.

“N-no kid. It-it’s ok. You won’t be able to h-heal me all the w-way and I don’t-don’t want you t-tiring yourself ou-out. It-it’s alright.” His breathing sped up as the waves of pain returned. The purple veins had now spread to his neck and were starting to venture onto his chest towards his heart. A strangled cry escaped his lips as he tried so hard to fight it.

Sala and Sei heard him and rushed back into the room.

“Sala grab the baby. He’s going to start seizing again,” Sei directed as he went to the side of the bed and grasped Din’s hand, feeling the strength of his grip as a testament to the pain he was in. Sala once again scooped up the child and clutched him to her chest, not wanting him to witness if everything went south again.

“P-Please…please,” Din begged. His tough exterior was crumbling. He couldn’t be strong anymore. He was too tired. He just wanted to be free from it.

“You gotta breathe, Son. It’s alright. It’s going to be ok,” Sei reassured softly. “You don’t have to fight it. Just breathe.”

Sei comforted and coaxed Din through the pain until it subsided, and the young man mercifully passed out. It had been hard watching him suffer but it was better than seizures. He got up and that’s when he discovered the bin of blood on the floor. He looked at his wife seriously.

“I’m getting what we need from the trading post and we’re going to give him his best chance at surviving this. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Please be careful, honey,” she said as she pulled him in for a kiss. He kissed her back.

“I will be. I have to be for you.” He smiled and cupped her cheek lovingly. “Keep him alive until I get back.” And then he left for the trading post.

********

Sala fretted worriedly. Din was still unconscious and severely dehydrated. The IV had been torn out during his fit and given his reaction when he was having blood drawn earlier, she didn’t want to put him through it again by trying to reinsert it. He was calling for someone named Omera and her heart broke. There was a pain in him beyond the physical pain he was experiencing. She opted to get a glass of water instead.

“Hey. Wake up,” she called softly as she touched his cheek. His eyes fluttered open slightly.

“Omera?” he murmured. His voice sounded so hopeful despite the pain laced through it, Sala decided to play along.

“Yes. It’s me. Here, I’m gonna need you to drink this ok?” she urged softly as she slid her arm behind his head and tipped the cup to his lips. To her relief, he didn’t fight her and drank about half before turning his head away. It was something and she figured she would try again later.

“I’m s-sorry,” he murmured softly as he was drifting off again. Sala sighed sadly. “It’s ok. Just get some rest.” She made sure he was tucked in before going to the cradle. The Child was sleeping soundly, and she smiled as she tucked the blanket around him too. She had to make sure his father made it. She just had to.

********

Sei arrived fifteen minutes earlier than he had originally planned. Good. That would give them some extra time. He entered the house.

“Sala! I’m back!” he called as he headed straight for the workbench.

“Thank goodness. We’re running out of time,” she said as she hugged him.

“I know. I’m getting started on it now,” he said and immediately started to mix up the antidote according to the recipe he had pulled up on a screen.

The couple flinched when they hear a strangled noise coming from the bedroom. Sala gave her husband a look, letting him know she had it and raced in to find Din convulsing violently again.

“Sei hurry!” she called as she went to Din’s side, making sure he wouldn’t hit his head or hurt himself further before grabbing his hand and pleading over and over for them to stop. They lasted much longer than the first spell and blood started to run from his nose. At last, they subsided, and his breath came in weak, staggering gasps. Sala found herself starting to tear up. They’d tried so hard and he was slipping away right before her eyes. She clutched his hand tighter as the seizures started again.

********

Din was in a hut with Omera. The ground was shaking. Everything was shaking. He looked at Omera in confusion.

“What’s going on?” he asked her. Omera looked around.

“It seems like you’re dying.”

“What? No! I can’t die. I have to get back to you,” Din said as he shook his head and started to look for a way out of the hut.

“You better wake up then. I don’t think you have much time left,” Omera said as she watched him look frantically for an escape.

“For someone who says that they love me, you don’t seem very empathetic sometimes,” Din scolded. There didn’t seem to be a door or window in this damn hut.

Omera grabbed him and kissed him passionately before looking him deeply in the eyes. “If I baby you, you won’t make it, Din. I need you to fight. I need you to pull yourself together and come back to me! Besides, you know this is you talking. I’m just in your head, echoing your thoughts.”

********

Sala had no idea how long she’d watched Din’s body convulsing painfully. It felt like an eternity. Agonized cries were tearing themselves from his hoarse throat. Blood continued to trickle from his nose. The purple veins were all over his chest now, including over his heart. The Child started wailing, sensing the tremendous pain his father was in.

********

Din could hear the Child crying somewhere outside the hut. He looked around frantically.

“Where is he?” he demanded roughly.

“I guess somewhere outside of here,” Omera said with a shrug. “He’ll die too, you know. If you don’t make it, you’re dragging him down with you. The other bounty hunters are coming. It’s a matter of time before they find him. Do you really think Sala and Sei can hold the Imperials off? You’re killing him too.” Omera’s words were almost taunting as Din decided he would have to break his way through the wall of the doorless hut. He hurled his shoulder at the wall with all his might, only to find that instead of giving away easily as it should have, it was as hard as steel.

“What? NO!” Din cried as he tried again, producing the same result. He tried over and over but his movements were getting sluggish and heavy. He just wanted to lay down and close his eyes. He was so tired.

“I don’t think you’re going to make it out of here, Din,” Omera said sadly.

********

Sei dashed into the bedroom with a syringe containing an emerald green substance in his hand.

“Hold him still. We need to give it to him now,” Sei said. The couple wasted no more precious seconds as Sala pinned the flailing hunter to the mattress and Sei plunged the long needle deep into his chest, ejecting the contents into his body.

********

Din heard screaming. He couldn’t tell if it wasn’t himself or someone else but it rang through his brain. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t escape it. There was screaming and crying and mocking voices in his head. Everything was being swallowed by black. No form, no shape; just black.

“Din! Din wait!” Omera cried as she tried to reach for him. She was being swallowed too, along with the crying and the screaming. He tried to reach for her, tried to pull her from it.

“No, wait! Omera!” he cried as everything was swallowed by the black.

********

Din’s eyes opened. It was dark for a moment and he thought maybe he’d gone blind until his eyes adjusted and he realized he was peering at the world through his helmet. Hadn’t he taken it off? His memory was fuzzy and the last thing he could clearly remember was right before Sei had drawn his blood. Everything else seemed like a sleep-deprived nightmare. He’d been having a lot of those lately. There was some slight pressure on his chest and he lifted his head slightly to see the Kid sleeping on his chest, much like a new baby would with its mother. He groaned as he realized how sore his muscles were and let his head fall back onto the pillow. Message received. He wouldn’t do that again. He looked to his right and then his left. There was a bandage wrapped around his upper right arm and an IV line in the left. He heard the door open and looked to see Sala coming through the door. There was relief etched into her exhausted face as he shifted, indicating that he was awake. She set a glass of water beside the bed.

“You awake in there?” she asked softly so as not to wake the baby.

“Ye-” he tried to say “yes” but the words caught in his dry and scratchy throat, resulting in a bout of coughing.

“Easy,” she warned softly. “Here, drink some water. I won’t look,” she said as she turned so he could take off his helmet. This was all silly formality as she’d already seen him with his mask off, but if he didn’t know that, she certainly wasn’t going to tell him.

Din lifted his helmet and drank the water, letting the cool liquid soothe his fiery throat. He felt almost human after the glass had been drained and the helmet was back where it was supposed to be.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice stronger now.

“I’m sure you don’t remember much. You were poisoned. We gave you the antidote and just to be on the safe side, we bled you a little,” she said as she gestured to the bandage around his arm. “You scared us for a bit, but I think you’re going to be ok.” A small smile crossed her face.

“Thank you, for everything. I owe you my life,” he said, feeling gratitude and a touch of guilt. He had no idea what he’d put them through over the last several hours, but if her tired expression under her smile had any indication, it couldn’t have been anything less than hell.

“Don’t worry about it dear,” she smiled. “Now get some rest. I’ll bring something to eat for you and your little one in a bit,” she said as she got up and left, closing the door behind her. She smiled at her husband who was sleeping despite sitting up. His head was slumped forward on his chest. She sat beside him and rubbed his arm, waking him instantly.

“Hm? Oh, sorry honey. I’m sorry. I can watch him for a bit if you need a break,” he said.

“He’s out of danger now,” she said with a grin and he hugged her, feeling the stress and weight of the last few hours release from her. They celebrated in each other’s embrace, feeling as if they had made up for the horrible things they had been forced to do in the past. A deep peace settled on the tiny house and all who were in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo I'm at a crossroads with my writing. I'm debating whether or not to kill off Sei and Sala at the end of this fic. It would give me some good material for the next story i.e Mando feeling responsibility for his death and there's some room for some serious fluff, buuuuuuuuuuut I have absolutely fallen in love with this couple so I'm seriously conflicted. Let me know what you think!


	6. I'll Go with You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Din leaves Batuu and is confronted with his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sad this story is over! But it does mean I get to work on the Third installment for Reaching for You so there is a silver lining. Thank you so much for your help and feedback concerning some plot points. I always appreciate the wisdom of other writers and readers. Now, without further ado, the exciting conclusion!

Sala chewed her lip as she watched Din from the kitchen. The latter was sitting on the couch, bouncing the baby on his knee and holding him up over his head. The child squealed happily and giggled as he reached for his protector. The Mandalorian had made a rapid recovery and was back to his old self within a day or two. Sala found herself dreading the moment when he would tell them he was leaving, taking the child with him. She had grown quite fond of their two guests. The Mandalorian wasn’t quite so gruff as she’d initially thought and accepted any parenting tips she and her husband had to offer gratefully. Clearly, he was still new to fatherhood. And the baby was a delight. Sala had grown to love the funny little creature who practically melted her with his great big eyes.

Sei entered the house with a grin and a bellowing “I’m home!” His face was covered in dark soot from the mines where he’d been working all day. “I brought something for the Little One,” he said as he reached into his pocket and produced a little wooden rattle. The child seemed to know that Sei had a gift and waddled over to the big man, reaching his hands out and babbling. Sei gave the rattle to him and laughed as the baby squeaked excitedly, shaking it.

Din turned to Sei. “Thank you. Thank you both. I owe you more than I ever hope to repay.”

“Nonsense, Son. You needed help. I’m glad we were the ones to have found you.” Din tried to block out the image of what would have happened if Sei and Sala hadn’t found him when they did.

“You’ve done more than enough for the kid and me, but we have to keep moving. We can’t stay in one place for too long.” Sala sighed. Here came the moment she’d been dreading.

“You could though. Just stop and rest awhile, let your son be a child for a bit,” Sala said, attempting to persuade him. Din shook his head, his expressionless mask giving no indication of his emotions.

“It’s-it’s too complicated, but we can’t stop. It would only cause you trouble if we stayed.”

“Of course not! We can always build you a place. It’s quiet and peaceful here. Surely being cooped up in your ship can’t be all that great,” Sei interjected.

Before Din could explain further, a spray of blaster fire tore through the windows. Din’s first reflex was to dive over the Child and shield him from the spray as Sei yanked Sala to the ground, shielding her.

“What’s going on?!” Sala cried as more blaster fire came through the walls.

“Imperials!” Din cried as he pulled his blaster and started firing. “They’re here for the Kid.” The blaster fire ceased.

“Come out with your hands up or we’ll be forced to terminate all of you. We just want the child and the Mandalorian!” a shaky, ancient voice called. Din recognized it immediately. It was the client.

“We need to get you two and the kid out of here,” Din said softly.

“Two steps ahead of you, Mando,” Sei said as he shoved the dining room table over and pulled up a carefully concealed trap door. He then walked over to the fireplace and took the blaster rifle hanging over the hearth down. “Sala, take the Child through the tunnels and escape. Run as fast as you can and don’t stop. We’ll follow you.”

“Are you crazy?! I’m not leaving you!” Sala exclaimed with tears in her eyes. “We’ll fight our way out.”

“Honey, this is our best option. I need you to trust me, and Mando here needs you to protect his son,” Sei said, trying to be as gentle as possible.

“NO! No, I won’t leave you. I won’t!”

“Sala!” Sei’s voice was bellowing and stern. He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her, but there were tears in his eyes. “I need you to trust me. I can’t let you die. You are my world and I can’t let this scum hurt you,” his voice was cracking as he brushed her hair behind her ear and rested his forehead on hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she sniffed as she wiped away a few tears that had fallen. Din stepped forward and handed the baby to her. He felt like his heart was going to break in two. This might be the last time he ever saw the little guy.

“Please, please protect him,” he almost begged Sala.

“I will, you have my word,” she affirmed with determination.

“Now go! Run fast, Sala. We’ll be right behind you,” Sei urged. They kissed one more time before she disappeared into the tunnel and the trap door was closed and once again hidden.

“We’ll try to lead them away from the house, give her a good head start,” Din said as he checked his blaster. “On my signal, we run and shoot.”

A loud blast rocked the house violently. The imperials, not receiving any kind of response from within the house, had opted to try and bomb them out. Din knew time was up.

“NOW!” Din yelled as he kicked down the door and started firing. He didn’t have time to count how many stormtroopers were standing out there, but he knew it was more than twenty. He barreled forward with Sei following as they bolted for the wide-open terrain, leading the small army far from the house and the two they’d left behind. Din heard a familiar wailing sound and looked up to see a TIE fighter in hot pursuit behind them. It started firing, kicking up the earth beside them as the zigzagged to avoid being hit.

“Keep running! There’s a forest up ahead! We can hide there!” Sei called. Din spotted the forest. Just a little bit further and they would be safe. They could hide until the Imperials gave up and then be reunited with Sala and the Child. They were almost there.

Suddenly, a large explosion went off in front of them, showering the two men with a spray of dirt and debris. Din skidded to a halt, stopping Sei. He turned and saw the army of stormtroopers jogging up to them with their blasters drawn. The TIE fighter was looming overhead. While Din was encased in bheskar, Sei was not, and would be cut down almost immediately if they tried to shoot their way out of this.

“Put your weapons down and put your hands in the air!” One trooper barked. Judging by the color variation on his shoulder pad, Din assumed he was some sort of officer. The two men obeyed.

“Just stay behind me,” Din whispered. He was going to protect Sei until his dying breath.

“Now put your hands on top of your head,” the officer barked, and again the men obeyed as a land speeder hovered into view. Din tensed as he recognized it’s passenger. The speeder came to a stop and The Client was assisted in climbing out by one of his bodyguards. His wrinkled face cracked into a sneer as a throaty chuckle escaped him.

“Well, Mandalorian, you tried valiantly to run off with my prize. But it appears I have outsmarted you. Let us save all this trouble. Tell me where the child is, and we will let you go.”

Din scoffed inside his helmet. He didn’t trust this wrinkly pile of human scum for one second. He stood in stony silence, he expressionless helmet capitalizing on his stance of defiance. The Client was growing visibly angry. He stormed up to the Mandalorian and looked at him square in the visor.

“Suit yourself. You’ll tell me. You’ll tell me right before I kill you, ending your miserable, insufferable existence once and for all,” he growled before snapping his fingers and returning to the land speeder. “Take them back to the ship.”

There was a crackling sound over the radio in the land speeder. “Sir, we have reports that a ship has just left the atmosphere, “ a troopers voice reported. The Client grinned at Din and Sei.

“Pursue it. The Child is on board,” he ordered.

“NO!” Sei cried as he tried to lunge for a stormtrooper. He was responded with a vicious blow to the head from the butt of a blaster rifle from another trooper. He groaned as his vision blurred. The Client chucked again, knowing he had struck a nerve.

“Take them back to my ship and bring me those passengers,” he ordered before the land speeder carried him away. The stormtroopers swarmed Din and grabbed both his arms. A few more jerked Sei to his feet and dragged him behind. Din tried to calm his scrambling brain. Things were definitely not good. They were captured, without any way to warn Sala. He could only hope that she could get away, and get away fast.

********

It was several hours later when Sala dared to venture out of the tunnel and into the main part of the house. She had waited and waited for her husband and the Mandalorian to come. After she set the ship she and Sei kept at the end of the tunnel as means of escape in case of emergencies adrift on autopilot as a distraction, she’d waited in the depth of tunnels. Now she was emerging with baited breath into the house, expecting to find the worst. Instead, she found it dark and still. Everything looked normal in the house except the door was kicked in.

“No…..no please!” she sobbed softly as she hugged the baby to her and bolted through the door. Other than the craters from the explosions the troopers had set off, everything looked as it always had. The night was calm and still.

“Sei! Sei where are you?!” she called through her sobs. “SEI!” she fell to her knees, rocking the baby as she sobbed.  
  


To be continued....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You guys have been so amazing. Keep on the lookout for story three of Reaching for You!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter. As always, rate and review!


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